Florence, Ala. (December 29, 2007) – The University of North Alabama (5-6) snapped the Saint Leo University (7-3) women’s basketball winning streak at four Saturday in the Marriott Shoals Holiday Classic, turning back the visitors 76-44.

Amanda Holloway (Sr., West Palm Beach, Fla.) led Saint Leo with nine points, but the guard had a tough day from the floor, hitting only three-of-17 field goal attempts. Melissa Guerero (Jr., Trinidad & Tobago) led Saint Leo in rebounds with seven and finished with six points. Chelsey Malone led the winners with 18 points on six-of-nine from beyond the 3-point arc. North Alabama’s biggest lead in the game was its final margin of 32 points.

On the game, the visiting Lions shot only 28.1 percent from the floor (18-of-64), 16.7 percent on 3-pointers (one-of-six) and 46.7 from the charity stripe (seven-of-15). Meanwhile, UNA did little wrong. The home Lions finished with 26-of-55 (47.3 percent) from the floor, 13-of-27 (48.1 percent) from 3-point land and 11-of-15 (73.3 percent) from the free throw line.

Saint Leo scored the initial four points of the game in 44 seconds on jump shots by Sabrina Schmitt (Jr., Tampa, Fla.) and Guerero, but the host Lions ran off nine straight points to take charge with 15:53 remaining to intermission and never looked back.

North Alabama’s biggest lead in the first half was 16 (38-22) at the break. UNA was spearheaded by Malone, who connected on five-of-seven from beyond the 3-point line for 15 points. Holloway led Saint Leo with six points. Dominique Daniels (So., Columbus, Ohio) added four points, while Guerero had four points and four rebounds.

Saint Leo shot only 26.5 percent from the floor in the first half on nine-of-34 and was one-of-four from beyond the arc. The home team had a hot hand, hitting on 13-of-30 from the floor for 43 percent and an outstanding 53.3 percent from beyond the 3-point circle on eight-of-15.

Saint Leo returns to action Sunday against the University of Alabama-Huntsville (4-5) at 3:00 p,m, ET. The Chargers dropped a 71-60 decision earlier Saturday to Kentucky Wesleyan.